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Zog
Zog is the wicked genius of the sea, a magician of great power, and an enemy of the Mermaids. The Sea Devils and Wolf-fish are his servants. Description Zog is a dreadful creature, part fish, part man, part beast, part fowl, and part serpent. His face is like that of a man, with ears like horns, horns instead of eyebrows, and a horn on the end of his chin. His hair is carefully parted and his face is actually quite handsome. His eyes glow like coals, though he keeps them shrouded by his long lashes. Instead of feet, his legs end in hoofs shod with gold. His arms are as well-formed and white as a woman's. The rest of his body is generally hidden by a richly embroidered robe because it is too hideous. He has broad, feathery wings at his shoulders which allow him to swim with terrific force. His undulating body is broad and thin like an eel and ends in a fish's tail. Zog's Palace Zog lives in a castle that is invisible to all eyes but those of its inhabitants. It is reached through a broad, rocky passage which glistens as if made of silver. Small silver statues of birds, beasts, and fish occupy niches in the walls. At the end of the passage is a vast cavern with a dome that seems as high as the sky. It is lit constantly by Zog's magic, with no indication of night or day. The splendid castle has towers of coral inlaid with silver, and windows of clear glass. Beds of beautiful sea flowers surround the castle while goldfish and silverfish dart among the foliage. The entrance is guarded by strange fish which are flat as a doormat with quills like a porcupine upon their backs. Their ball-shaped heads rise from the center of the fish and have a circle of piercing bead-like eyes. The castle itself is much like those on land, with stairs and a balcony and all the usual furniture. It is populated by dozens of slaves including Sacho, Joe Weedles, Tom Atto, Rivivi, and Agga-Groo. Zog's "den" is a dome of solid gold thickly set with precious jewels toward the top and with pearls on the lower part. The golden floor is engraved with beautiful designs of sea life as well as land scenes. The room is furnished with locked cabinets of gold, table, chairs, sofas upholstered with seal skin, and rugs woven from seaweed. A fountain of air bubbles up in one corner and the room is lit by an unseen source. Zog's guest rooms include the Rose Chamber and the Peony Room. History Zog has lived for twenty seven thousand years. Centuries ago Zog was cast from the earth into the sea where he caused much trouble. He waged a terrible war against King Anko, but was conquered and driven into his castle where he was imprisoned. For revenge, Zog captured Queen Aquareine and Princess Clia, along with their guests Trot and Cap'n Bill. He tried to torture them with his Yell-Maker, but the mermaid queen's magic protected them. He also unsuccessfully attempted to boil and to freeze his prisoners. When they finally made their escape, Zog pursued them but was captured in King Anko's coils where he was crushed to a mass of jelly-like pulp. (The Sea Fairies) Background More than once, L. Frank Baum created threatening characters as hybrids of various beings. For Zog as a combination of man, beast, fish, fowl, and serpent, compare Glinkomok in "The Laughing Hippopotamus," who is part man, beast, fish and fowl, and the tuxix in Policeman Bluejay, which is magician, sorcerer, wizard and witch, "all rolled into one.... Adaptions Zog appears in an episode of The Oz Kids, and in "The Emerald of Zog" in Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, where he is voiced by Jess Harnell. Category:Other Book Characters Category:Creatures Category:Antagonists Category:Nonestic Ocean